For out of work and future machinists

I have a LOT more,... But these will be the last.







This was my other sons project,.. got this far in 7 months. That was several years ago,... And has not been touched sense,... However He is now teaching The Metals program, in the same classroom he learned in and built this in.


He was beat out by this next project, because his was unfinished,... And if memory serves me right,... This Kiah was built by a girl !


Once again,... All built by High School Students in Michigan,... Wouldn't it be grate to see a National competition ?

 

You know, right after my last post I was thinking the same thing! I used to be a sawfiler in a past life and they are about like a secret society in the way they treat newbies. That changed about the time I started learning the trade, and I heard a story that relates to this subject: one of the guys I learned from (he was 50 at the time) told of an older guy who was sure that my friend would never amount to anything as a sawfiler. Every time he had half a chance to tell someone how lazy my friend was, he did just that, calling him lazy, a know-it-all, etc. Funny thing is my friend Larry is one of the very best all-around craftsmen I have ever met, and that's saying something, since I have been fortunata enough to meet and work with some very, very talented men. Maybe it's just how things are in life, "...them damn kids are gonna ruin society! What with their hot rods, rock and roll and smart-assed ways!..."

 

Here's a sad example of that I learned of today. My son (he's 11) entered the school science fair. He wanted to do something special that would really stand out. So he researched stuff he was interested in and found out how to build a simple electrical generator from nothing more than cardboard, some magnets, copper wire and a tiny light bulb. I was into it, but since it was a science fair, I made him research the principles and theories that make it possible and write it as a report. He wrote about Faraday's Law, the uses for generators as well as what happens when you use more or less wraps of wire. Remember, this kid is 11 years old and I thought such a practical project was huge, considering his age. Well, he got his judging sheet today and unfortunately got one of the lowest scores in the whole fair. I saw the sheet and not one kind thing was said about effort, appearance or functionality. Know what won? A kid that put a chicken bone into water, another into soda and a third on into vinegar, then wrote about what happened ever day for a month. My son was pretty discouraged, but I told him not to worry about it. There is nothing as important in your life as learning to do things with your own two hands, period. I told him to keep doing things like that, keep learning and don't worry so much about judged contests and grades, that learning and accomplishing goals with your projects was far more important. I told him that in the real world, there wasn't a whole lot of demand for people who soaked chicken bones in fluid, but there was a huge demand for people who understand electrical assemblies. He perked up, but it still pissed me off to know that one encouraging statement from someone involved in the judging could have made a positive affect on my son's attitude on future projects. Fucking schools still view practical sciences in the same vein as sweeping the parking lot .

 

I found myself in a weird spot.
I worked for GE for 15yrs until they closed our 112yr old plant.

I went from production, to forklift, to groupleader in shipping dept., bid into plant maint. for 3yrs working on antique boilers, air and water systems, and other related functions. All taught by the older guys I worked with.
The bid into the "machine shop" and was there the last 7yrs we were open.
I was taught basic machining technique on post-war manual equip. by my groupleader who worked there 42yrs.
We were classified machinists, but we could go weeks without using a mill or lathe.
We were 95% machine mechanics. We would make bushings and sleeves to repair 100yr old gearboxes etc. but spent most of the time keeping the old plant running. Conveyers, material elevators etc..

If something broke down, we'd be called out, and if it wasnt a mechanical issue, we would lock it out and wait for the electricians to repair.

SO, fast forward to GE closing us down. We were the 2nd best producing lighting plant in all the lighting div. We were down to 70 people doing what 400 did 20yrs before. We had great relationship with management and rarely had union issues.
They didnt care. So buy those CFL bulbs that china makes...

Anyway..
So I find myself 40yrs old, coming out of a good job. I thought to myself...Hell, Ive done so much stuff in this plant, that Im bound to be needed somewhere....
Nope.

Im not a machinist. Even though I know some stuff.
Im not a Maintenance tech. Even though I know alot of things.
I was one of 7 people who kept a major manufacturing facility running 24/7, was on-call every minute I wasnt on the clock, had major responibility.
Yet, I didnt do any electrical because we had our own electricians, and I have no journeyman card because we wernt a job shop.
And 90% of what we did was keep a antique facility running. So nobody wanted me. I sent out 1000 resumes, no offers.

Most places want one guy who can do it all. I cant do electrical. Our stuff was post-war manual, so I never touched CnC.
The boilers I worked on were so out-dated that nobody uses them in newer plants.
Etc
Etc
Etc.

I welded with 440v monster stick welders, but never took a class. I was taught by the guys before me. As they were taught from those before them.

So I guess all the years I spent doing all the things I did there mean nothing..

Ive been called for Machinists jobs, but when they find out my background, they commend me, but dont offer a job.

We did everything in that plant to keep it running, and running well, and not one single guy I worked with got a job in a similar capacity.

When you spend 50+ hours a week working on this type of stuff, and it goes away, I guess there isnt much you can do...

 

thanks HARMS WAY for the pics ,going to showem to our schools director monday.The state of alabama has started a tech skills promotion called 'Go Build Alabama' to create intrest in trade skills .Our county school system sends ALL 8th and 9th grade students to tour our school and meet instructors. We ere even talking about having a week long camp this summer for kids to come and sample classes. These things have helped our school to have a high number of students

 

Follow the link below,.. Its the MITES websight.

MITES​

 

Too much of the hiring process has been
hijacked by the Human Resources weasels.

Used to be, they guy doing the interview,
knew how to do the job you were applying for.


Now it's desk jockeys criticizing the format
of your resume, without even reading it.

 

Sounds like his project was way over the heads of the judges.
They can't appreciate what they don't understand.

 

Its sad, but this trend is not a new one, I am currently training for becoming an industrial maintenance mechanic, the plant i am aiming for has over 500 people at retirement age, and they have a huge need for people, there's some jobs that can't be outsourced, like power generation, that need people desperately, when the price of labor in china goes up the jobs will come back, but that sadly isn't for a long while. but in the mean time, other jobs suffer. who knows what the next ten years will hold...

 

and i think its funny i am machining a hub right now on a brake lathe, interesting timing lol

 

We heard the same story when we were in collage.
That was 1982.

So far, it hasn't happened.
And with north American manufacturing being exported
to Mexico, India, China, Korea, Taiwan, etc,
I don't see it happening any time soon.

 

thats how i know i have little competition in my future. go ahead send your knds off to be accountants! ill pick up the hard work.

 

i was a machine shop leadman for several years,as was a freind of mine. we were talking about this a short time ago.
a lot of shop jobs are machine specific. not all lathes are alike,or grinders,even mills have major differences.
don't get me wrong VO/TEC is good. if they would send me people who could read a mic,could understand a basic blueprint, and a little knowledge of what we do .we can show them how and what to do.
good people come in with there peice of paper and know it all. now i've got broken cutters,burnt drills and a vise out of true.machine shop is learned in the shop.
my hands look like ive learned alot.

 

This subject is close to my heart and really gets me on my soap box.

I work in the maintenance department of our local school district, however, I spent the first 24 years of my working career in a large machine shop as a Machine Repairman. When I left that field in 1998 we were seeing the writing on the wall. It was difficult to find qualified machinists or operators.

Now that I work in the school district, I see them closing more and more of the shop and vocational classes and selling off the equipment. I was told by the Principal at one school that they not only cant get students interested in wood and metal shops, but they can't find teachers qualified to teach these classes. The last wood shop that closed was because the teacher was retiring and thay couldn't find a replacement.

Seems kind of strange that they can't get enough kids interested in vocational shop classes, but the pottery classes are full!. I don't know of anyone making a living by making ash trays and vases....Just my 2 cents.

Sorry for the Rant, but I had to get that off my chest. I feel better know.

Harry

 

Funny how there's always funding for arts classes and football but none for trades.

There's always a surplus of starving artists and guys who think that what they did in highschool football actually matters but people complain that it's hard to find good tradesman.

Shawn

 

Universities are geared towards generating more university students.
Just like any big business, or institution. Consequently, the mainstream
educational system now exists to feed the universities. If you don't fit
into that mold, tfb.